Surfaquarium

Feedback from educators:

"My teammates and I thought your presentation was the best one all day! We can't wait to share what we learned with our co-workers. You really challenged me to think about planning differently. I am excited and anxious to try planning a lesson using your framework for thinking about Multiple Intelligence. Keep up the great work! It is sincerely appreciated!" -C. Scott, VSTE

"While at MACUL, I attended a presentation by Walter McKenzie on Multiple Intelligences and Instructional Technology. I was fascinated by this and spoke to Walter after the session for a few minutes and purchased his book from ISTE." -M. Sandoval, MACUL

"The second session that I attended was a session on technology based multiple intelligence instruction. This session was fantastic! The presenter (Walter McKenzie) used examples relating to each of the subject areas. I believe that this was an excellent opportunity to create meaningful experiences for student by making real-life connections and using technology. The presenter also addressed ways in which his strategy could be used to address other important skills such and team work, problem solving, and higher order thinking skills. Excellent Session!!" -L. Williams, NECC

"Monday Morning's General Session presented another world-renowned keynote presenter, Walter McKenzie, a Virginia favorite. Walter brings great experience and knowledge on multiple intelligences, and excites and intrigues you with the possibilities." -D. Arkin, VSTE

"Your workshop on IQuest was the absolute highlight of this conference. It was very thought provoking, and "felt" right. I have been working on an idea for math, without knowing really where I was heading with it. Now, I am going to take a serious look at where I started using your IQuest format and am very excited about the direction and possibilities. I may take you up on your offer to look over and critique my plan. I sincerely hope you can come to our school, and look forward to your presentation again tomorrow!" -N. Williams, VSTE

"Walter McKenzie discussed online learning communities. McKenzie subscribes to Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory and combines it with instructional technology to create a powerful formula for transforming the classroom." -J. Morrison, MACUL

"One of our most successful efforts this year was the introduction of the WebQuest format to our middle school teachers. The format was introduced by Walter McKenzie, creator of The One And Only Surfaquarium, who conducted a WebQuest workshop for the teachers at our school as well as teachers at the Academy for the Middle Years, a nearby public school.

Teachers were asked to come to the workshop with a project or unit they would be doing during the year. They learned to search for appropriate sites and then actually started designing their own WebQuests during the session. The teachers learned how WebQuests could help them pull together Internet resources and create specific Web pages for student use. The Eighth Grade WebQuest: Stock Market and the 6th Grade Pink and Say Project are two examples of the WebQuests created by teachers at Chestnut Hill Academy following McKenzie's workshop." -P. Livingston, Chestnut Hill Academy

"I had a GREAT time at your IQuest Workshop -- it made me think (yes, I was using my brain) -- and it has spurred me to 're-work' a Web Quest. Your resources at http://surfaquarium.com are wonderful -- Thank you for all the 'goodies' you share ! All of us Gloucester folk look forward to your summer workshops -- you KNOW that I will sign up for your session !" -M. Williams, VSTE

"This session addressed Gardner 's theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) and the role of technology. Various instructional technologies are tools which have the ability to access all the intelligences. The technology must be flexible, adaptable, and must relate to the real world. These tools can be used to create, solve problems across the disciplines, and immerse students in authentic tasks and allow students to access the world in real time.

Walter supplied lists of technologies to complement each of the intelligences. Discussions took place among the presenter and audience concerning technology-based projects, such as the Alaskan Iditarod Race. A wealth of information was available through this discussion format. Web sites consisting of activities and information were matched to each of the nine intelligences and included in the packet. These will be most useful when devising classroom activities which incorporate multiple intelligences." -S. Bieberly, ASCD

"Teachers gathered from all around the United States to learn about the race and how to use Iditarod as a theme for instruction. Guest Speaker Walter McKenzie shared information on Multiple Intelligences: verbal, logical, visual, musical, kinesthetic, naturalist, intrapersonal, interpersonal and existential. With the Iditarod as a theme, activities can be tailored for each of the intelligences. This information challenged us to develop each of the intelligences in our classroom activities. Blogging, Wikis and WebQuests were discussed as technology based activities that connect all the intelligences and facilitate authentic learning." -T. Hanke, Iditarod Teacher Conference

"Walter made a comparison of the renaissance guilds of the 16th century and the building of online communities today and examined three pedagogic models:

• - Content Mastery: the quickest and easiest, good for traditional instructor-led, content-based – at its worst – books under glass - and at its best tapping into multiple intelligences, This model Walter reckons is legitimate enough as an approach to information dissemination and pure content delivery.
• - Hybrid: today's fashionable model, blended F2F and online. Work is assignment-based and more collaborative, or at least sharing. Uses performance assessments. Mixture of the specialist tutor online and the teacher in a mentor role face-to-face.
• - Community of Practice: derived from Wenger's constructivist theory derived from the corporate world and now more readily possible for education.

For lots more detail on communications tools and their uses check out Walter's site." -J. Anderson, Building Learning Communities

"I really enjoyed taking your IQuest workshop at VSTE. It has made me want to rethink many of my standard lessons. I teach Hands-On Science, so implementing this process is painless. I am excited to get started. Thank you so much for your research and innovation in this area." -S. Davis, VSTE